We inaugurate our profile series of Nordic TV screenwriters competing for the SEK 200,000 Nordisk Film & TV Fond Prize with Danish talent Adam Price.

Ride Upon the Storm explores good and evil and the spiritual journey towards seeking a greater meaning in life. The story centres on a family of priests that traces its roots back more than 250 years: Johannes (Lars Mikkelsen), Elisabeth (Ann Eleonora Jorgensen), and their sons, August (Morten Hee Andersen) and Christian (Simon Sears). Johannes is God-like to his sons – he gives, loves, and punishes. His favouritism for August and his disappointment with Christian forces both into making desperate choices in order to either gain his love or break free from him.  Their path will lead us into war and encounters between different religions, seen through the intimate lens of a family drama.

Three questions to Adam Price
What makes you tick in terms of genre and storytelling?
Adam Price: I’m very interested in trying to break the traditional genre mode whenever it’s possible. I’m very fond of watching new series that want to make ambitious new takes on genre and the very art of storytelling. In Ride Upon the Storm, we have also tried our best to twist and turn both characters, main subjects and how we tell the story as much as possible. It’s a privilege that we have, only because we work for ambitious broadcasters like DR.

What do you find the most rewarding and the most challenging about writing for television?
AP: I think the process of creating multi-faceted characters that we are able to identify with but at the same time, embodies numerous secrets and dark dimensions that you can explore episode for episode, season after season, is an incredible challenge. And when you succeed, very rewarding indeed.

Cite your top 3 TV shows (Nordic and international) that you’ve binge-watched recently.
AP: Lately (and much later than everybody else…), I’ve enjoyed binge-watching SKAM - great story and an amazing new take on both storytelling, general concept and character universe. Also, I have enjoyed watching the Netflix series Ozark with its slow paced intense take on the character based crime story. The HBO series Big Little Lies is also fascinating in its way of storytelling and not least editing - very promising.” 

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Adam Price co-wrote the Emmy award winning series Nikolaj and Julie (DR), before becoming the creator of the highly successful political drama series Borgen (DR), which was sold to more than 80 countries and won major awards such as a BAFTA, a Prix Italia, a Fipa d’Or, as well as the Danish TV-award for Best Drama for three consecutive years.

Price was Head of Drama for TV 2 Denmark between 2001-2005 and is co-owner of SAM Productions since 2014 with writer Søren Sveistrup (The Killing/Forbrydelsen), producer Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen (A Royal Affair) and Studiocanal.

Price’s latest TV series, Ride Upon the Storm (Herrens veje), produced by DR Drama in coproduction with ARTE France and SAM le Français, premiered in Denmark in the fall 2017. Price is currently finishing the second season, set to air on DR1 in the fall 2018. The series was voted Best Work in Progress by TV Critics and world buyers at MIPTV 2017. 
The Nordisk Film & TV Prize will be awarded during the Göteborg Film Festival on January 31st, 2018. For further details about the Prize CLICK HERE.